Rachel Elnaugh founded the Red Letter Days experience-gift company before appearing on Dragons' Den.
Red Letter Days sold gift vouchers for experiences rather than ordinary physical products. Its offerings included activities such as driving experiences, flights and leisure days, helping establish the experience-gift market in Britain.
Elnaugh’s entrepreneurial profile led to her selection as one of the original Dragons when the BBC programme launched. She later left the panel after the first series. The company subsequently experienced financial difficulties and entered administration in 2005, a business event often mentioned in accounts of her career.
Red Letter Days is sometimes associated with later investors because Peter Jones became involved with the business after its collapse. That later connection does not change the answer to the founding question: Rachel Elnaugh created the company before her television career.